Cigar-wrapper counter.



D. STRASSBR.

CIGAR WRAPPER COUNTER. APPLAIOATION FILED JUNE 10, 1913.

1,133,333. Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

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Art

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-Luau, WASHINLIIUIY, L). L

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID STRASSER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CIGAR WRAPPER REGISTER 00., INC., 015 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEVI YORK.

CIGAR-WRAPPER COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID STRAssnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar- IV rapper Counters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for counting and registering the number of cigar wrappers estimated by an operator to be obtainable from tobacco leaves examined by him, and its novelty consists in the construction and adaptation of the parts as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In the use of the machine, an operator inspecting the tobacco leaves from which cigar wrappers are to be cut, ascertains from such inspection whether or not a leaf is capable of producing one, two, or three, wrappers, places the leaves so inspected, classifying them according to their productive capacity, in three piles so that he gradually builds up piles out of each of which fifty cigar wrappers can be made. These each constitute What is called a pad of wrappers, and it is the purpose of this invention to afford an easy means by which the record of the number of wrappers in a pad can readily be ascertained before the pad is completed and, at the same time, the number of pads which have been completed is counted by a mechanism which does so without in any way affecting the record of the incompleted pads.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a simple framework adapted to support the other parts, and which can be placed upon the table now usually employed, or upon any other suitable support. Above the framework there is arranged in regular order at different levels three rocking plates upon which the difierent pads of leaves are separately placed. By the depression of each one of these plates a simple counting mechanism is actuated, and when the total of fifty possible wrappers has been accumulated on each plate the operator is signaled that such total has been arrived at and, at the same time, this total is transferred into a totalizing mechanism.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed section of a portion of two of the rocking plate shafts and their protecting collars; Fig. f is an enlarged detailed section of the lubricating device at the front end of each shaft.

In the drawings, 20 is the horizontal plate of a frame adapted to be secured in any desired manner to a suitable table, or other support. Arranged above the frame are three brackets 21, 22, and 23, each adapted to serve as bearings for longitudinal shafts 24, 25 and 26 arranged one above the other and the opposite ends of which are supported in independent bearings 27 formed in the casing of the counting mechanism. Depending from the edges of the plate 20 are longitudinal flanges 28, and between them and also depending from this same plate are intermediate flanges 29, the lower edges of which are at a different level from the lower edges of the flanges 28. By this means the entire device may be supported on a plane surface by the two outside flanges 29, or on a curved surface by all of the flanges.

Mounted above each of the shafts 24, 25 and 26, in stepped relation, are a pair of counting plates 30 and 31, plate 30 being stationary and secured to, or made integral with, a support secured to the plate 20, and the plate 31 being a rocking plate secured rigidly to its particular shaft. Each plate has preferably an upper curved surface so that the two plates together form practically a continuous curved surface. The plate 31 is curved downwardly at 32 and adapted partially to encircle its shaft in order that it may protect the latter from any water which might fall upon it from above. Each pair of plates 80 and 81 are provided with a common waterproof cloth covering indicated at and which has a continuous upper surface and hangs down as a curtain on one side of the device. The counting plates are arranged in pairs in a stepped relation at different heights so that they may be readily distinguished without any acute attention on the part of the operator. Beneath each rocking plate 31 there is provided a lug 34 adapted to cooperate with a corresponding stop member 35 with which the plate 20 is provided. These two members serve to limit the downward movement of the rocking plate.

As the leaves of tobacco to be counted are frequently wet and there is danger of moisture trickling therefrom and coming into contact with the shafts 24;, 25 and 26, and

thereby rusting them, there is provided means by which such contact is prevented consisting of a collar 36 secured on each shaft provided with a V-shaped groove 37. Any water dripping down near the end of an oscillating plate will come into contact with one of these protecting collars and will collect at the bottom of its J-shapedgroove and will run on down to the collar immediately beneath and so on to the bottom of the machine, and will not remain in contact with the shafts. There is also provided a special means for lubricating each of the shafts on its front bearing consisting of a slanting aperture 38 drilled into the end of each shaft (see Fig. f) and which aperture is adapted to receive the oil, the over-hanging front flange of each plate preventing any contact between such oil surfaces and the tobacco leaves.

It will be understood that by means of the depression of any one of the rocking plates its particular shaft will oscillate and that a counting mechanism is provided to count the number and kind of such oscillations, such counting mechanism being placed in a casing 5L0 at one end of the frame 20.

At the front of the casing 40 there are arranged three dial plates with a protecting glass covering 400, and hands, which move in front of their respective dials, indicate by their position the number of oscillations of their respective rocking plates and shafts, through the medium of suitable mechanism, not shown.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with plates arranged in pairs, one adapted to be rocked to a limited extent and the other relatively immovable, of a supporting frame for the plates comprising depending fianges of difi'erent heights whereby the frame may be placed on other than a plane surface.

In a device of the character described, the combination with plates arranged in pairs, one adapted to be rocked to a limited extent and the other relatively immovable, of a supporting frame for the plates comprising depending flanges of different heights whereby the frame may be placed on other than a plane surface arranged at theirlower edges to conform to an upper curved surface.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with plates arranged in pairs, one adapted to be rocked to a limited extent and the other relatively immovable, of a supporting frame for the plates comprising depending flanges of different heights whereby the frame may be placed on other than a plane surface in pairs, an outside pair of greater height than the inside pair.

4. In a device of the character described adapted for the counting of tobacco leaves, plates upon which the leaves are placed, shafts arranged beneath the same, and means adap ed to prevent the moisture liable to drip from the tobacco coming into contact with said shafts, comprising protecting collars adapted to surround the upper surface of each shaft at suitable places.

In a device of the character described adapted for the counting of tobacco leaves, plates upon which the leaves are placed, shafts arranged beneath the same, and means adapted to prevent the moisture liable to drip from the tobacco coming into contact with said shafts, comprising protecting collars adapted to surround the upper surface of each shaft at suitable places, each of said collars having a groove into which phe accumulated moisture is adapted to col- -ect.

G. In a device of the character described adapted for the counting of tobacco leaves, plates upon which the leaves are placed, shafts arranged in vertical relation beneath the same, of means adapted to protect the shafts from contact with dripping moisture, comprising protecting collars on the shafts.

7. In a device of the character described adapted for the counting of tobacco leaves, plates upon which the leaves are placed, shafts arranged in vertical relation beneath the same, of means adapted to protect the shafts from contact with dripping moisture, comprising protecting collars on the shafts, the collars being also arranged in vertical series.

8. In a device of the character described adapted for the counting of tobacco leaves, plates upon Which the leaves are placed, shafts arranged in vertical relation beneath the same, of means adapted to protect the shafts from contact with dripping moisture, comprising protecting collars on the shafts, in combination with means for guiding the moisture from one collar to the other.

9. In a device of the character described adapted for the counting of tobacco leaves, plates upon which the leaves are placed, shafts arranged in vertical relation beneath the same, of means adapted to protect the shafts from contact with dripping moisture, comprising protecting collars on the shafts, in combination with means for guiding the moisture from one collar to the other including a groove on each collar.

10. A counting machine for tobacco leaves comprising plates, a shaft adapted to be oscillated and arranged beneath each plate, means for lubricating each shaft including an oil-receiving passage at the end of each shaft, and means for shielding the tobacco leaves from contact therewith.

11. A counting machine for tobacco leaves comprising plates, a shaft adapted to be oscillated and arranged beneath each plate, means for lubricating each shaft including an oil-receiving passage at the end of each shaft, and means for shielding the tobacco leaves from contact therewith including a flange depending from each plate and interposed between such passage and the tobacco leaves.

12. A counting machine for tobacco leaves comprising plates, a shaft adapted to be oscillated and arranged beneath each plate, means for lubricating each shaft including an oil-receiving passage at the end of each shaft, and means for shielding the tobacco leaves from contact therewith, in combination with means for preventing moisture dripping from the leaves coming into contact with such shafts.

13. A counting-machine for tobacco leaves comprising plates, a shaft adapted to be oscillated and arranged beneath each plate, means for lubricating each shaft including an oil-receiving passage at the end of each shaft, and means for shielding the tobacco leaves from contact therewith, in combination with means for preventing moisture dripping from the leaves coming into contact with such shafts, including protecting collars, one on each shaft and arranged in substantial vertical series.

14. A counting machine for tobacco leaves comprising plates, a shaft adapted to be oscillated and arranged beneath each plate, means for lubricating each shaft including an oil-receiving passage at the end of each shaft, and means for shielding the tobacco leaves from contact therewith, in combina tion with means for preventing moisture dripping from the leaves coming into contact with such shafts, including protecting collars, one on each shaft and arranged in substantial vertical series, each collar having a groove adapted to collect and guide the course of any moisture deposited thereon.

15. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with registering mechanism, of a plurality of substantially parallel actuating shafts disposed in substantially the same vertical plane, one below the other and of different lengths, and a plurality of movable leaf supports disposed in stepped relation and mounted respectively on the shafts for actuating the same.

16. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support, of registering mechanism located at the rear end thereof and projecting thereabove, a plurality of actuating shafts for the registering mechanism located over the support in parallel relation, one above the other and being of different lengths, and movable leaf supports mounted respectively on the different shafts and disposed in stepped relation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID STRASSER.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE Gr. CAMPBELL, MARY H. LEWIS.

copier of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

